Unlike their previous game against Pearsall, the matchup last Tuesday, March 11 saw the Freshman Warhorses grab a quick lead against the Freshmen Mavericks and hang on for an 11-6 win.
Leadoff batter Isaiah Oropeza drew a walk and stole second to get things started for Devine in the top of the 1st inning. Blaine Miller singled on a bunt that moved Oropeza to third, and Oropeza later scored on a Pearsall error that allowed Miller to take second and move into scoring position. Miller later scored for a 2-0 lead.
After Pearsall scored a run to cut Devine’s lead in half, the Freshmen Warhorses added two more runs in the 2nd inning. Riley Barton led off the inning with a second, advancing to second on an error and to third on Clayton Brown’s groundout. Alex Rubendall walked, and Oropeza’s fly ball single to center drove in Barton. Leonard Pompa drew a two-out walk to load the bases, and Darrin Lafferty followed with another walk that forced in Rubendall for a 4-1 lead.
Another pair of runs came in the top of the 4th inning. Oropeza started the inning with a single to center and stole second, scoring on Pompa’s line drive single to right field. Richard Ramirez’s line drive to right knocked in Pompa to put Devine up 6-1.
The Freshmen Mavericks added three runs of their own in the 4th inning, hitting two singles and taking advantage of two walks and two hit batters to cut the lead to 6-4.
Devine’s final runs of the game came in the top of the 6th inning. Lafferty and Ramirez hit back-to-back one-out singles. Lafferty and Ramirez stole third and second bases, respectively, and Barton singled on a hard ground ball to the pitcher to drive in Lafferty. Ramirez scored on an error that allowed Barton to take second, then advanced to third on a passed ball. Brown was hit by a pitch and stole second before being replaced by courtesy runner Rubendall, and Kaleb Nira walked to load the bases. Oropeza singled to center to knock in Barton, Rubendall stole home, and Nira scored on a balk for an 11-4 lead.
Pearsall scored twice in the bottom of the 6th inning for a final score of 11-6.
Batting: Oropeza 3-4, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB; Miller 1-5; Pompa 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB; Lafferty 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB; Ramirez 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB; Jesus Hernandez 0-4, 1 BB; Barton 3-5, 1 RBI; Brown 0-1, 1 BB, 1 SB; Nira 0-1, 1 BB, 1 SB; Rubendall 1-1, 1 BB, 1 SB.
Pitching: Oropeza 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 hits, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts; Pompa 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 hits, 6 strikeouts.
Upcoming games
The Freshman Warhorses next travel to San Antonio Johnson on Friday, March 24 for a 4:30 pm game before hosting Holy Cross on Friday, March 31 at 5:00 pm.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer